BP Gulf Oil Spill Worse Than Exxon Valdez Disaster

Public anger grows as official estimates push the BP Gulf oil spill is worse than the Exxon Valdez disaster. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster is now flowing unabated and into its 42nd day. The sprawling mess continues to grow with the Mississippi and Alabama coasts now threatened. Gulf fishing has already been banned and critical oyster reefs are threatened. U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt has confirmed the BP oil spill is greater than the estimated 257,000 barrels Exxon Valdez tanker disaster of 1989. Exxon Valdez ran aground when a drunken skipper went off course. Exxon has spent billions to clean Alaska's Prince William Sound up following the oil spill disaster.

This weekend BP failed with the 'top kill' attempt to plug the leaking oil. BP is attempting to lower a marine riser package cap. It will take about a week to determine whether this option to capture oil from the well rather than plug it is successful. What is sobering is the BP Gulf oil spill is larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster, and is still growing. The latest containment option attempt could result in a temporary oil flow increase of up to 20 percent, as the riser pipe coming from the blowout preventer must be cut. The U.S. Geological Survey also found the leak could be gushing at a rate almost four times BP's recent estimates.

The uncertainty of the crisis is most unnerving. BP and U.S. government officials both warn that the leak may flow until August should this latest attempt fail. The BP Gulf oil spill is worse than the Exxon Valdez disaster now, one shudders at what it may be by August.

U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt made public findings by the Flow Rate Technical Group last week. The researchers determined that on May 17 the Gulf of Mexico’s surface had at least 130,000 barrels of oil on it. The also surmised that a similar amount had either been skimmed off the ocean’s surface or evaporated. The panel's findings are that at least 260,000 barrels of oil had spilled into the Gulf as of May 17. 

McNutt said 'this is obviously a very, very significant environmental disaster and I think with the numbers I've given you, you can do the math.' 

The Flow Rate Technical Group best estimate for the oil leakage is 12,000-19,000 barrels per day. In their calculations the Flow Rate Technical Group use three measurement methods. Of these the high-end rate of is 25,000 barrels per day. Recall that BP’s estimate was that the amount of oil pouring from the fractured well was 5,000 barrels per day (210,000 gallons/795,000 liters). 

The Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20. If we take the low-end estimate of an oil flow of 12,000 barrels (504,000 gallons/1.9 million liters) a day the BP Gulf oil spill is larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster. The total amount of oil leaked from the well is 444,000 barrels (18.65 million gallons/70.59 million liters). This almost twice the amount of oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez. 

The government's lowest estimate is over twice the estimate repeatedly cited by BP officials of about 5,000 barrels though company officials have said the estimate is unreliable.

Up until this point Louisiana's sensitive wetlands and fishing grounds have taken the brunt of the oil spill. The Mississippi Delta states of Mississippi and Alabama have only seen tar balls scattered on their coasts so far. However the besieged area is expected to increase as moderate southerly and southwesterly winds pick up. The latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 72-hour prediction sounds ominous warnings for the Mississippi Delta.

NOAA said in it’s forecast, “Model results indicate that oil may move north to threaten the barrier islands off Mississippi and Alabama later in the forecast period.'

The NOAA forecast underscores concerns for an ever-widening area. If the slick continues to grow through August the threats cannot be understated. Florida, Cuba and Mexico are all under threat with the huge currents that can carry the oil spill.

Coming to grips with the fact that the BP Gulf oil spill is worse than the Exxon Valdez disaster is mind numbing. Coming to grips with the fact the disaster is going to be significantly more is chilling.

Expect more wildlife to die, more jobs to be lost with more businesses and communities destroyed. What is sobering is BP has still not been able to stop the gushing well with the obvious problems of a well over a mile deep. In a world of political ineptitude, of a global economic crisis, political scandal and hot air we really need the government to get this one right.